Jathemon: The Beginning
by Jathemon
Summary: The stories are about how Pokemon gijinkas came into existence. They focus primarily on a Hydreigon named Ferrovax, aka CT Blackstone, and his journey from undertrained Deino facing the Unova league, to a fearsome Hydreigon who was much too violent to allow in battles, to a human with a thirst for science and a new way to channel his violent tendencies.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Flashback**

"Alright Ahti, let's go!" she yelled. The caves on Victory Road were dimly lit, dulling the brilliant color of her bright orange hair and sparkling blue eyes. Her Nidoking companion was also shadowed in the dull lighting, but his bulky silhouette could not be missed.

The two had always been fighters. They had been battling together, since they were young. Ever since that day Ahti was found, a wounded, tiny Nidoran, and taken in.

It was just outside Viridian City. The young trainer knelt beside him, assessing his wounds.

"It looks bad." She said, sorrow in her voice, to another Pokemon. The little Nidoran could barely open his one good eye, but it looked like a Pokemon he had never seen in Kanto, before. The Pokemon's orange fur matched his trainer's hair, almost perfectly.

She had always had a passion for Pokemon, and showed great compassion toward those who had been injured. Maggie, was her name. Her partner was a Buizel, named Mambo. He nudged the Nidoran, letting him know that it will be okay. Maggie was going to take care of him. The Nidoran closed his good eye, the other swollen shut, as Maggie scooped him up and rushed to the nearest Pokemon Center.

She waited there, all night. Though the Nidoran was wild, she felt she had to care for him. Surely, he would die if she left him to fend for himself. She thought about him, all through the night. Every time the nurse called somebody back, she felt a twinge of excitement and fear, waiting to hear news of her friend.

Then, finally, as dawn approached, a nurse called Maggie's name. She carried Nidoran out, bandaged and exhausted, but looking much better. Nidoran looked up, weakly, at Maggie, and yawned. Maggie thanked the nurse, and took her friend home. Although he had medical help, there was still a long road of recovery he still had to traverse.

Nidoran went home with Maggie, who continued to nurse him until he was fully recovered. However, after all she had done for him, after all the friends he had made at her family's daycare, he decided to stay. His name became Ahti, and Maggie became his best friend.

The two decided to take on the Kanto league. They shared many wins and losses, welcomed new friends and said goodbye, to old ones. The years went by, and they grew up together, winning both Kanto and Johto leagues. Maggie had been offered positions as a Poison, Ground and even Water type gym leader. She declined them all, after talking it over with Ahti and Mambo, of course, preferring to live a quiet life in the country, taking over her family's daycare.

Though they didn't battle professionally anymore, Maggie and her team was always happy to accept the challenge of a passing trainer. They had fun, worked hard, and made many friends. There just wasn't that thrill anymore, though; that thrill of battling a league, of winning badges and defeating champions. It was a craving they deeply missed, but there were other responsibilities to tend to, now.

 **k-thunk, k-thunk, k-thunk.**

The sound of boots walking up to her, resonated loudly across the wooden porch.

Maggie sat on the steps of the porch, looking out at her beloved Pokemon playing happily with those trainers had entrusted her with, at the daycare. She didn't even have to turn around to see who was coming.

"Hi, Dad." She whispered, sounding exhausted.

He sat down, with a grunt, next to her. He heaved a heavy sigh, and watched the Pokemon for a few minutes. The two sat in silence as the sun began to set, and although neither said a word to each other, he knew what was going through his daughter's head.

"You should go."

"What?" Maggie looked up at him.

"Don't pretend like you weren't thinking about it. You and that Nidoking of yours have been itching to battle in a league, since you got offered that gym position in Unova."

"Ahti and I both agreed we needed to train more, before tackling Unova." Maggie huffed. "It just so happened that during our training, we realized we've been doing this for too long. You and Mom couldn't handle this daycare, forever."

"Now don't go blaming your mom and me." The gruff man said, calmly, as he lit a cigarette. "You were scared, and that's okay. Unova's quite a bit different and more challenging, than Kanto and Johto. But you can't just give up, because you're scared. I think you should go. Challenge the Unova league, take their gym leader offer. That's where your heart is." He smiled at her.

"What about the daycare?" she asked, worried.

"Your cousins can watch over things, while your gone." He took a puff from his cigarette. "Now, I know you love the daycare, but it's not where your heart is. Your passion is in battling, and you should be out there being your very best."

Maggie looked at him, and smiled. She threw her arms around her father, in a tight hug.

"Now, go on." He said. "Get out there and make me proud. Besides, Ahti looks like he could lose some weight."

Maggie chuckled, but Ahti just looked up and grunted, before returning to his nap.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Ferrovax**

Unova so far, had been fantastic. Maggie and Ahti had never felt so invigorated. They had their wins and losses, met many new friends, and it felt just like old times. By the time they made it to Victory Road, they were almost sprinting. They were eager to meet the Elite Four, and face the champion.

That is, until they ran into a very familiar scene.

A small, green Deino appeared before them, weak and covered in blood. He stood before them, panting; Deino couldn't see, but it was like he felt a presence near him. He took one step forward, and all seemed quiet for just a moment.

Suddenly, the dragon was violently pulled backward, screeching as something had grabbed hold of his leg.

The metallic bug shimmered in what little light was in the cavern; it looked at Maggie and Ahti, and let out a furious hiss as it clamped down even harder, on the Deino.

"Hey! You let go of him!" Maggie shouted, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth. "Alright Ahti, let's go!" she commanded her Nidoking. "That Durant won't make a meal out of him, so long as we're here!"

Ahti bellowed a ferocious roar, stomping one foot on the ground, which made the stalactites shiver and pebbles fall to the ground. The Durant hissed once more, dropping the Deino and turning its attention to Ahti and Maggie.

"Good. We have its attention. Now, use Earth Power!" Maggie shouted.

Ahti roared again, slamming his fists into the ground, causing it to crumble and crack. As the cracks shot toward the Durant, the ground began to give way, causing a sinkhole into the level below, dragging the Durant down.

The Deino scrambled to climb to safety, as the sinkhole threatened to take him down as well. As he began to fall, Ahti reached out a clawed hand and grabbed the injured dragon by its feathered tail, ensuring his safety.

The Deino panted, and collapsed on the ground.

"That could've gone better." Maggie sighed, kneeling down beside the injured Pokemon. Ahti scooped him up, and nodded at Maggie. Deino were small, but just a little bit too big to carry through a cave to the nearest Pokemon Center. The scene mirrored the one in which Maggie met Ahti, and he was well aware of that. She didn't even have to say anything, for him to know what they had to do.

Thankfully, the wait at the Pokemon Center wasn't nearly as long. The nurse came out with a smile; "He wasn't badly injured. Looks like you got there, just in time!" she beamed, as she brought out the Deino. He only looked away, in a huff.

Maggie smiled, and the trio walked outside. "Well, I guess this it is. You should be more careful, next time!" she patted the Deino on the head, to which he replied with a snarl. It didn't faze Maggie, in the slightest. She waved him off with a smile, and turned to head back toward the league.

She quickly noticed the footsteps following quietly behind her, and smiled. The Deino gave her a gentle headbutt, wanting her to stop.

"So, you wanna come with us after all, huh?" she grinned, holding out a Poke Ball.

The Deino turned and snorted, but accepted her offer. He pressed his nose against the ball, his energy being sucked inside of it. As soon as it clicked shut, she smiled and gently cupped the ball in her hands. "Welcome to the family, Ferrovax."

Of course, not every league challenge can end in a win. Maggie and her team failed to defeat the champion, and were, of course, disappointed. They knew they couldn't win every battle, but they agreed they would give it another go, when they were ready. They would train harder, be smarter about strategies, and try again.

The little Deino, however, was not so much disappointed as he was, angry. He wasn't going to let these…these _humans_ , push him around. He was going to become strong, no, the strongest he could possibly be, and he was going to _win_. Not for Maggie, not for her team, but for himself. No more weak little dragon. Ferrovax was going to demolish this champion, and soon everybody would fear _him_.

And train, they did. They trained and trained, all year long. The little Deino grew up into a powerful Hydreigon, and Ahti grew close to Ferrovax, regarding him as a brother. Ferrovax respected Ahti, as well as others on Maggie's team. A Gallade, named Aidan. A Noivern, Laila. And a Gliscor, Lasciel. Ferrovax was especially fond, of Lasciel.

Ahti, Aidan and Ferrovax would frequently spar together, though Ferrovax had rather brutal tendencies. He held nothing back, and oftentimes it ended in Maggie having to intervene. Despite this, she kept him as part of her team and went on to face the league, once more. A decision she would come to regret.

After once more defeating the Elite Four, Maggie was facing the champion once again. She was down to only two Pokemon, Ahti and Ferrovax. The path of destruction Ferrovax left, had led other trainers to call him names. Deathbringer, the Corpse Taker, even the Grim Reaper. He was violent, and Maggie knew it. She was sure that it could be trained out of him, and kept her beloved dragon on her team. Surely after the win today, he would settle down.

She was wrong.

The champion's fist Pokemon to be sent out, was an Accelgor. Maggie commanded Ahti to unleash a Thunderbolt, but before he could make a move, Ferrovax burst out of his Poke Ball and incinerated the Pokemon with a powerful Heat Wave.

Ahti stood, stunned, and looked back at Maggie.

"Alright. If he's so eager to fight, let him." She said, as Ahti retreated back beside her.

The champion sent out his next Pokemon, a Bouffalant. He shouted for it to use Mega Horn, a move that would surely deal a large amount of damage to the Dark-type dragon.

The Bouffalant stomped its feet on the ground, and bellowed. Its horns glowed a bright green, and it began to charge. Ferrovax, of course, was having none of this. He flew up high, letting the Bouffalant continue to charge, and nearly hitting Maggie.

She yelped as Bouffalant bellowed and nearly tripped over its own hooves, trying to steer itself away from the girl. She grasped her chest, her heart pounding so hard that she felt like it was going to explode out of her.

Bouffalant snorted and regained its footing, only to be pelted with a Focus Blast that rained down, from above. It skidded across the floor, and before it could even get back on its feet, it was hit by another. The force of the blast even knocked the champion and Maggie, off their feet.

Ferrovax slammed back to the ground with a resounding **THUD** , and hissed as he watched Bouffalant twitch and struggle to get back up. With a deep growl, Ferrovax bolted toward Bouffalant, and grabbed it by the neck, with all three heads. He began violently shaking it, slamming it to the floor again and again.

"FERROVAX, STOP!" Maggie shouted, getting back on her feet. Her pleas went unheard. She knew she shouldn't have taken him on this journey. Others were talking about him, behind her back. He had a violent and bloody reputation, but she knew in her heart that he was capable of being good. That was, until this moment.

The dragon continued shaking the limp Bouffalant, until finally, something slammed into his back. Ferrovax fell to the floor, and looked up in shock, to see Ahti standing above him, his horn glowing a bright green.

Ferrovax got up and attempted to attack his friend, but Ahti gave him another Mega Horn. This went on, until Ferrovax was finally unconscious. Ahti panted and fell on all fours, ashamed that he had to hurt his dear friend. Angry that it had to come to this. Afraid, of what was going to happen to him, now. When a trainer's Pokemon kills another, those actions do not go unpunished.

"I'm sorry…" Maggie whispered to the champion, who was knelt down beside the lifeless Bouffalant. "I'm so sorry…I shouldn't have-"

The champion held a hand up, stopping her from speaking any further. Tears welled up in her eyes; She knew she was no longer welcome in any league. She should have just stayed in Kanto, at the daycare where nothing bad would have ever happened. She recalled the dragon back into his ball, and turned to leave.

Ferrovax was dangerous. He was a danger if he was kept in captivity, and a danger if he was released into the wild. There were only two options: put him down, or keep him locked away in a Poke Ball, for the rest of his life. Neither option was preferable.

She stared at his ball, barely visible through the tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, but you've gone too far. I can't release you… it won't stop, if I did. It's cruel to keep you locked away in a ball, forever. There's only one humane thing to do…" she winced, hating that the thought even crossed her mind. She held the Poke Ball close to her, and let out a soft sob.

Ahti put his giant, clawed hand on her shoulder, for comfort.

"Are we doing the right thing?" she whispered.

Ahti heaved a heavy sigh. He didn't know what the right thing to do, anymore, was. He certainly didn't want to hurt his friend again, but he also didn't want his friend to hurt anybody else. This whole ordeal was just one big mess that he wished would just go away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Changes**

Maggie had returned to Kanto, and swore off battling. She fell into a depression, still unsure of what to do with Ferrovax. Or, whatever people were calling him, these days. She curled up on the sofa and sighed, wishing everything would just suddenly get better. Her thoughts were interrupted, by a knock at the door.

She trudged to the door, to be greeted by a short man in a business suit. He had messy brown hair and a short, close-cut beard. His nose was round, and his hazel eyes were covered by thick, round glasses. He certainly wasn't anybody she had ever seen, at the daycare.

"Good evening. Is this the residence of Maggie Myers?" he asked, his tone warm and friendly.

"Who's asking?" she said, wary.

"My name is Dr. Stephen Porter." He smiled, stretching a hand out to greet hers. "I've heard a great deal about you, and your Pokemon. You've made quite a reputation!" he beamed. "I'm from a research organization that's very interested in some of your Pokemon, particularly your Nidoking. We know it's a longshot, but if you would be interested in letting us borrow your Pokemon, it could be extremely beneficial to our research."

Maggie blinked, taken aback by his statement. What would scientists want with her Pokemon? What could they possibly learn from them, that they couldn't learn from even stronger Pokemon?

"What kind of research?" she asked, skeptical.

"That's classified, but I can tell you that we're studying exactly what makes certain Pokemon stronger than others." He smiled. "I assure you, it's for a good cause."

"No deal." Maggie said. She didn't trust this man, one bit. She slammed the door in his face, and went on about her business. Though, the thought still lingered in her mind. Who were these people? Why her Pokemon, and not somebody else's? She shook her head, and went on to make a pot of tea.

Her Gliscor, however, had other ideas. Lasciel had heard the conversation, and decided she could give the man at least one Pokemon. One Pokemon she had grown close to, very close, and wanted to save. She grabbed Ferrovax's Poke Ball, and rushed outside before the man left. She grabbed his jacket with her claw, and pulled him back. He was so small and wimpy, she almost made him topple over.

She let out a soft growl, as the man turned. She held up the ball, and gave him a concerned expression.

Porter nodded, and accepted her offer. "Don't worry." He smiled, warmly. "We'll take good care of him."

Lasciel's ears drooped as she watched the stranger drive off, with her mate. She didn't know what they would do to him, but surely it was a fate better than the one he was doomed to, here. Maybe he would have a better life, with them. A chance at survival. She sighed, and headed back inside. No matter what, he was better off, now.

At least, that's what she'd like to think.

The dragon's eyes shot open. He was disoriented, and in a strange place. He was hooked up to wires and machines, and being jabbed with needles. He growled and hissed, but was too drowsy to do much more. He heard voices, though they sounded muffled.

"…Told you to get the Nidoking." One man said. "Not this…beast." He gestured to Ferrovax.

The drugs were wearing off. Ferrovax growled and roared, as he attempted to free himself from the wires.

"She won't give him up. Can you blame her? The bond between a Pokemon and a trainer is an amazing thing. If I had a friend like that, I certainly wouldn't give them to some stranger, claiming it was for scientific research." Porter said.

"Hm." The other man grunted. He was a thin and lanky looking man, who looked to be in his fifties. He wore a loose lab coat, and half-bridged glasses. He watched as the dragon continued to roar and thrash, waiting for him to tire himself out.

Ferrovax slammed against the glass wall, again and again. He roared ferociously, blasted fire and Dragon Pulses at it, until he finally grew too tired. He growled softly, as he slumped against the glass.

"Get him fully restrained." The scientist said. "Again." He added, annoyed. "Make sure he can't get free, this time. We can't have anything go wrong, during the transformation."

Transformation? What are they doing? He growled as the scientists began to restrain him once more, and poke and prod him with needles and connecting more wires to him. Finally, they left him alone. Good riddance. The room was quiet, and there was a group of people watching from the other side of the glass. What were they looking at?

Suddenly, there was pain. Oh, god. The pain. He roared in agony, as lights danced across his vision. He held his eyes tightly shut, but the lights still seemed to blind him. The flash of white then turned to black. Everything went black and quiet and cold. He hurt so bad, he felt numb. Was he dead? No. He could still hear voices. They were just a buzz of muffled sounds, but at least it was enough for him to know he was still alive. Barely.

The light in the room was almost blinding. He winced in pain, and tried to move forward to give those scientists the what-for. He took one step, and...Wait. Step?

This wasn't the movement he was used to. He fell on his hands and knees, the impact of which sent a shock of pain coursing through his body. " _What… did you do to me?_ " he said in a quiet, but deep, growling voice. He also seemed to have a thick British accent. That was new. He had never heard that come out of his mouth, before. " _What's going on?_ " he thought, unable to speak the words. He was tired. He hurt. The light and voices made his head scream. He finally collapsed to the floor, his body unable to endure anymore pain.

He awoke in a room. The lights were still too bright, and he winced the moment his eyes cracked open. He instinctively moved his hand to shield his face, and….wait a minute. Hand? He stared at the appendage attached to him, and wiggled his fingers. Curious things, hands were. But why was there a hand, attached to him?

He sat up, a bad idea as his head immediately screamed at him. "Nngh!" he growled, holding his throbbing head. After it had settled enough for him to continue assessing his situation, he noticed something else. He had hair. He ran his hands through his hair; another new sensation. He had hands, hair…feet…clothes… "Bloody hell…" he whispered. A voice. Another new thing, he had.

He was interrupted by the sound of the door hissing open.

"Ah, you're awake." The man said. It looked like the same man he saw, just before that flash of pain and bright lights. "We were beginning to get worried. You're the first success, after all." He said, jotting something down on his tablet.

"What did you do, to me?" the former dragon growled.

"And you can speak! Wonderful." The scientist continued writing notes. "That's also a first. Granted, you're the first one to live this long, too."

"I said," Ferrovax growled. " _What_ did you _do_ , to me?!" he repeated, grabbing the man by his shirt collar and slamming him against the wall. He winced again, as his head began to pound. "NNGH!" he hissed, dropping the scientist and holding his head.

"Easy." The man said. "You've gone through a major transformation. Your body will take some time, to adjust. Now, I think introductions are in order. You may call me Dr. Hugo Blackstone. And you are?" he said, attempting to be friendly with the ex-Pokemon.

Ferrovax thought for a moment. He always hated his name. Many trainers had begun to call him other names, names they deemed insulting but he thought fit much better.

"CT." he answered. "Call me CT." he said. That had a much nicer ring to it, than Ferrovax. If he was no longer a Pokemon, may as well completely start over. "Now would you kindly tell me what in bloody hell is going on? Where am I? Why am I…"

"Human?" Blackstone finished. CT nodded.

"You were the first of a breakthrough experiment, in which we're able to transform Pokemon into humans. Looks like it wasn't a hundred percent, though." He said, noting CT's jet-black eyes and magenta pupils.

"Why? How?" CT asked.

"Oh, it goes back many years, back to when I was a trainer, myself. You see, my partner was a very special Pokemon. I didn't realize how special, until I was older. But that Pokemon…it could transform into any being, so long as it had the DNA. It could even make itself appear human, though it was only temporary. Still, it made me think. What if we could permanently turn Pokemon into humans? Bridge the gap between human and Pokemon, and Pokemon would no longer be slaves for humans' entertainment."

"I've devoted my life to this research, and it looks like it finally paid off." Blackstone continued, with a sly grin.

"Permanent?" CT growled. "You're going to leave me like this?" he snapped.

"Your very DNA has been completely stripped down and reconstructed. It's a miracle you survived. Even if we knew how to reverse it, you most definitely would not live through another transformation." Blackstone replied. "I suggest you start getting used to your new body, because you're stuck with it."

CT growled, again. He wanted nothing more than to rip this guy's throat out, but that wouldn't do much good.

"I want. To go home." He insisted, instead.

"You can't." Blackstone said, calmly.

"The hell I can't!" CT shouted.

"I said, you _can't_." Blackstone repeated. "You were on death row. They were going to put you down, after what happened at the league." He sighed. "We've heard about you, and the rest of Myers' team. You've built quite the reputation, and are somewhat celebrities around Kanto. But, I digress. I wanted the Nidoking, but Myers' refused. Dr. Porter said a Gliscor gave him your Poke Ball instead, so we worked with what we got." He shrugged.

CT fumbled, for words. They were going to put him down? His _friends_? They were his teammates. They had been through so much, together. Sure, he had a bit of a temper, but that was no reason to put him down! His eye flickered with anger, and his fists clenched. He flashed his pointed teeth, and growled, deeply. He slammed his fist into the wall, a bright orange energy circling around it, and the impact caused Dr. Blackstone to fumble backwards.

"Focus Blast?" Blackstone breathed. "Incredible… you can still use your moves! This could not only be a new step in Pokemon evolution, but human as well!" he quickly scrambled for his tablet, to make note of this.

CT, meanwhile, was still burning with rage. But then, a thought occurred to him. Maybe being human wouldn't be so bad, after all. He could start anew, and he could get revenge on the ones that had wronged him. Maybe he could even stick around, with this Blackstone fellow. Befriend him. Learn from him. Then, when the time is right, kill him. Kill all of them, and burn the place to the ground.

CT stood up straight, and straightened his shirt. He grinned at Dr. Blackstone, flashing his sharp teeth. "I think we got off to a bad start."

Maggie stared in shock, at the empty case that once held her brutal Hydreigon. Oh, god. He was gone. "Oh, no. No, no, no…" she whispered. "He took him…"

"Who took who?" her father walked in.

"The man…Ferrovax…he took him…" she sputtered.

"Hey, calm down." Her father said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Now take a deep breath, and tell me what happened."

Maggie inhaled, and exhaled, slowly. "There was a man, at the door. He said he was a scientist. Stephen Porter. He said there was a research facility interested in my Pokemon, and asked if he could borrow them. I said no, and now Ferrovax is gone."

Her father sighed. "Don't worry. We'll find this Porter fellow, and get your Hydreigon back." He assured her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Revenge**

"Absolutely not." Blackstone said, firmly. "You're been human for less than a week. You're still getting used to your new form, and have no idea how human society works. I will not let you outside of this facility."

"You want the Nidoking, do you not?" CT growled. "I am not some stupid animal. Take me back. I can get him, and a lot more. Gallade, Noivern, Absol, Pidgeot. Miss Myers has a lot of Pokemon, many of whom are just as powerful as my…former teammate." He snarled.

"She will be on high alert, after my disappearance. I know the layout, and the Pokemon she will have, guarding the place. You want the Nidoking and others, you will take me there." He insisted.

Blackstone sighed; "Fine. Just don't do anything stupid." He complied, begrudgingly.

The black car came to a rolling stop, some distance away from the daycare. They were close enough to see the place, but not to be seen. It helped that it was late at night.

"Hm." Blackstone grunted, as he leaned on the wheel. "Are you sure it's safe?"

"Positive." CT responded. "I know them. Miss Myers and her father will be out looking for me, while her cousins stay behind and run the daycare. She will have left her Luxray, guarding the place." He said, stepping out of the vehicle. "Keep the car running. I won't be long." He said with a sly grin.

And he was right. Maggie was gone, and her Luxray was on the front porch.

"Hello, Aslan." CT hissed, as bright orange orbs danced around his right hand. "I do apologize for this; you've never done me wrong, after all. But, it's how things must go." He shrugged.

The Luxray jumped to his feet, and snarled. Electricity sparked from his fur, and he was ready to blast this intruder with his best Wild Charge. He roared loudly, bowed his head and began to charge forward.

As he did, he was met by CT's signature move, Focus Blast. Aslan was hurled back, unconscious. The impact was loud, too loud.

"Blast it all…" CT hissed. He winced as the commotion stirred somebody inside; the lights flickered on, and footsteps scurried toward the front door. He readied another Focus Blast, prepared to fight rather than run. He wasn't about to run.

Instead, a Gliscor peeked out the window. The human outside didn't look familiar, but she noticed the eyes, immediately. "Gli-scor!" she chirped, happily. She threw the door open, and smooshed his face between her closed claws. She pulled his face down lower, and glared into his eyes. The moment was awkward and lasted much too long for CT, but he let it happen.

She narrowed her eyes, looking deeply into his. Finally, she smiled. "Gli!" she exclaimed, releasing him, only to hug him instead.

"Good to see you again, Lasciel." He said, patting her gently on the head. "Now, if you don't mind, I've a favor to ask." He said, pulling away from her hug. "I need the others. Ahti, Aidan, Zero, Laila, and…that Pidgeot. I forget his name." he said, not particularly caring. "That noise had to have woken others up, so I can't be seen here. If you could bring them to me…"

Her ears drooped. "Gliscor?" she said, worried.

"It's important that we're all together, again. That's all I can tell you." He said, frustrated that he could no longer understand what Pokemon were saying. "Now, please. We have to hurry."

She nodded, and went back inside. CT watched, concerned that maybe this wasn't the most brilliant of ideas.

He stood outside, anxiously awaiting his friend's return. His arms were crossed, and his fingers eagerly tapping against them. This was taking too long, and he couldn't risk being seen by humans. Aslan wasn't going to stay unconscious for much longer, anyway.

He started toward Blackstone's car, trusting that Lasciel would find him, eventually. As he did, he felt a tug on his shirt. Lasciel had finally made it out, with all the Poke Balls.

"Good. Very good." He grinned, as he took them. "Thank you." He nodded, and proceeded to retreat. As he walked off, he heard footsteps behind him. Lasciel was following.

She had never wronged him. In fact, she was the only friend he had left. More than that, actually. He wouldn't openly admit it, but he once had feelings for her. He couldn't let her be a part of this plot for revenge…but something inside of him said he couldn't live without her. He sighed, and motioned for her to follow.

"You didn't mention a Gliscor." Blackstone perked up, as both she and CT entered the car. "That will make a fine addition-"

CT stopped him, before he could continue. "She will be no part of this." He growled.

"Fine." Blackstone said in a huff, as he drove off back to the laboratories.

Once there, the Pokemon were kept sedated, while being prepped. Aidan was the first to awaken, and of course, was startled. He looked around the white room, disoriented and afraid. He charged at the glass and slashed at it, hoping to break free. One slash after another, he kept going, full of fiery spirit.

After a few moments of this, he noticed one scientist who didn't quite fit in with the others. He was wearing a hunter-green dress shirt, and black pants. He stood up straight and proper, with his arms behind his back. What was even more noticeable, were his eyes. Those obsidian eyes were unmistakable. It couldn't be…could it?

Aidan's thought process was interrupted, as the transformation began. He yelped as pain shot through his body.

CT only watched on, smiling. He enjoyed seeing Aidan suffer. He deserved it. They all did. They were going to let him die, and he was going to do the same. Though, he had to admit, watching the process first-hand brought back awful memories from less than a week ago, when he himself was turned. He winced, and looked away. He decided to stroll the hallway, observing the others.

He walked past Zero, who was still heavily sedated. The Pidgeot was fighting even more than Aidan. Laila was being kept in the same room as another Pokemon, he didn't recognize as Maggie's. It was a Gardevoir, and the two were hooked up to each other. Odd.

Then he came across Ahti's containment cell.

Ahti looked up at him, groggy, but conscious. He didn't know who this man was, but it was his fault this happened.

"No." CT snarled. "This was your fault." He said, leaning closer. "You were going to let me die. I once called you friend, even mentor, but that all changed after the Unova League." He growled. "You deserve to suffer. You all do. You are all going to change, and Maggie is going to lose her entire team." He said, slamming a fist on the glass. Pausing for a moment, he stepped back, straightened his shirt, and moved on.

There were many other Pokemon. Not all of them were from Maggie's team. He passed by a Lucario, Slowking, Greninja, Gyarados, Espeon, Gliscor….wait. He stopped in his tracks. This wasn't right.

"Lasciel?" he said, panic in his voice. "No, I told you to leave her out of this!" he pounded on the glass, but it was too late. The Pokemon were going to undergo their transformations, all at once. The doors were locked, and nobody was getting in or out, until the process was complete.

She screamed in pain, as it began. It was then CT realized, maybe this was a mistake. If he had just let things be, she would have been okay. This wouldn't have happened to her.

He pressed his forehead against the glass, wincing at her screams of agony. It hurt him, that he hurt her. "You bastards…" he said through clenched teeth. "This wasn't part of the deal…I never wanted this to happen to her…" he said, although there was nobody around to listen.

Soon, the ordeal was over. Lasciel slumped to the floor, but her door remained locked. Something had gone wrong. Alarms blared, and the system was on the fritz. Several cell doors opened, releasing many angry former Pokemon. One of whom, was Aidan.

He bolted out of his room, grabbing the labcoat off one of the confused scientists. He immediately ran off in the direction CT had gone, planning on giving him a piece of his mind.

"YOU!" he yelled, upon seeing the man. "You did this!" he snapped, grabbing CT by the shirt and whipping him around, so they were facing each other. " _Why_?!" he demanded.

"Because I wanted to see you suffer, for what you were going to allow happen to me." CT responded, coldly. "I made a mistake, and you were going to let me die, for it." He swatted the Gallade man away. "Perhaps that would have been for the best." He said, looking back at the unconscious Lasciel.

"You're damn right, it would have." Aidan said, through his teeth. Before either could make a move, Aidan was struck with a needle, and fell to the floor, unconscious.

"That could have gone better." The scientist sighed. "Are you alright, sir?" he said to CT. CT nodded, and Aidan was promptly dragged back to his room.

There was chaos around him, but he never took his focus off Lasciel. Soon, things grew quieter, and the system was back in working order. The alarm stopped blaring, and Lasciel's door was unlocked. CT immediately took the opportunity to rush in, kneeling beside her.

"Lash!" he said, holding her head in his lap.

"Nnh.." she wimpered. She was barely able to open her eyes, to look up at who was holding her. She began to fall unconscious, but the sound of the fading voice was comforting.

"…okay, now. It's okay. Oh, god. I'm so sorry. I didn't know they were going to…"

Blackness. Lasciel was unconscious, but at least she was alive. CT stayed by her side, as she was dressed and moved to her own room. He stayed with her all night, watching for any sign that she may wake up.

Finally, she made a soft whimpering sound.

"Mmm…?" she rubbed at her eyes. She looked at the appendages that were in front of her, and it took a few moments for it to soak in that they were attached. She yelped and quickly sat up in her bed, nearly falling off.

CT caught her, and sat her back down. "Shh. It's okay. Everything is going to be okay, now." He leaned over, and embraced her. "I'm so sorry…" he whispered. "I never meant for this to happen, to you."

"Ferrovax?" she breathed. She threw her arms around him, returning the hug.

"You saved me." CT said, gently pulling away. "I wanted to do the same, for you. Not…this."

"No." she said, placing a hand on his face. This hand thing was a new sensation, but it was a nice one. "You did save me." She smiled at him.

He pressed his forehead against hers, causing her cheeks to turn a bright red. They drifted closer together, until his lips met hers. Another new sensation, for both of them. One they both enjoyed, immensely.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Denial**

The sound of the alarms blaring, echoed in his head. Lights flashed, scientists were yelling, and the room was cold. The door to his cell opened and closed, as some sort of glitch fried the system.

The noises made his head pound, but he had to get up. He had to get out of here, and back to Maggie. He pushed himself to his feet, wobbling at first. Something was different.

As the door opened, he slid through before it closed again. He grabbed the coat off a passing human, hoping it would be enough to keep him warm.

"Hey, you can't leave!" the man whirled around. Ahti ignored him. "I said, you can't leave." He repeated, setting a hand on Ahti's shoulder. "I know things are confusing, and this really isn't the best time to explain, but trust me. You don't want to cause any more trouble, than what's already happened."

Ahti grunted, and shrugged away.

"Please, let me help. I can take you back to your room, and once things have settled down, I'll explain everything."

"Where is Ferrovax?" Ahti whispered.

"Who?" Porter asked.

"Ferrovax. The Hydreigon. I know it was you, who took him." Ahti answered.

"Oh, CT? He's perfectly fine! Now, come along. Let's get you settled in." Porter smiled, escorting the former Nidoking back to his room.

About the time they arrived, the alarms had subsided.

"What was that?" Ahti asked.

"Laila." Porter winced. "She was with another Pokemon, when the transformations started. A Gardevoir. Somehow, they ended up fusing. The system didn't know what to do, since fusion had never even been attempted before, and it went on the fritz. Seems like everything is stable, now."

"Is she..?"

"She's fine." Porter assured him. "She's something completely new, but fine. Now then, introductions. I'm Stephen Porter." He smiled warmly, at Ahti.

Ahti didn't respond.

"That's alright." Porter coughed. "I know your name is Ahti. Anyway, you seem to be taking the transformation rather well. How are you feeling?"

"What transformation?" Ahti blinked.

"You haven't noticed…? Erm…well, I suppose disorientation is normal." Porter ran his fingers through his hair. "You're in a state of shock right now, so I'll try to make this as easy as possible. Your Hydreigon friend was the first successful experiment, in which we were able to transform a Pokemon into a human. He was able to convince your trainer to release you to us, and, well, here we are."

"Maggie didn't…we weren't supposed to… Ferrovax did this?" Ahti stammered.

"Well, CT brought you here. Dr. Blackstone is the man behind all of this." Porter replied.

"I want to speak with Ferrovax… _CT_." Ahti corrected himself. These people apparently knew the dragon, by another name. "And I want to see my friends."

"I'm afraid we can't let you. Not yet. You still haven't even realized you're human…you're not stable enough to interact with the others. Give it a couple days…once we evaluate you and your friends and find you're all okay, we'll let you speak with each other." Porter said, as he left the room.

Ahti tugged the jacket around him, and looked around. The room was dull. All white, just a bed and dresser in it.

" _If it helps_ ," a voice rang. " _Everybody seems to be fine._ "

Ahti perked up, and looked for the source of the voice.

" _It's telepathy, ya' dip._ " She said. " _It's me, Laila. I'm in th'next room. Couldn't help but eavesdrop on ya'. Don't worry, I can sense everybody else in dis wing. All of 'em, fine. Scared, but fine_."

"Ferrovax did this." Ahti whispered.

" _Can ya' blame 'im? Not exactly th'most genius plan, but I get where he's comin' from. The one who saved his life, was gonna kill 'im. His dearest friends an' mentors were gonna let it happen. He's gotta right to be pissed, ya' know."_

"That does not condone what he did." Ahti replied, out loud. This telepathy thing was weird.

" _You could say th'same, for us._ " Laila responded. " _Sure, he gotta lil' out of hand…a lot out of hand…guy's gotta temper, hurt some 'Mons…but did he really deserve death?_ "

"Of course not. Nobody deserves death." Ahti said. "But it was not our decision to make. However, when one makes a mistake, they must own up to it. What he doesn't understand, is that we all made mistakes. He, for being out of control. Maggie, for allowing him in the league. And I…for not seeing what would happen, sooner."

"Maggie did not deserve to be punished, like this." Ahti sighed. "The guilt she felt over what happened, was enough. Now…she's lost us. We've lost her. Nothing will ever be the same, and that alone, was Ferrovax's fault."

" _True. But he was scared. He had learned th'ones he loved were gonna let 'im die. He had his entire form completely changed. He wasn't exactly thinkin' rationally._ "

"And that excuses him?" Ahti snapped.

" _No. But don't blame 'im for his mistakes. He will learn th'consequences, soon enough. Besides, ya' ever stop t'think maybe we're better off, like dis? Bein' human…it ain't so bad. If ya' really are thinkin' about Maggie, think about dis: you can talk to 'er. Th'two of ya can sit down and enjoy a nice cuppa tea, and actually talk about your past battles._ "

Ahti listened. It was all he could do. Maybe Laila was right. Ferrovax made mistakes, but was it really all his fault? Ahti was most certainly disoriented from the transformation...who's to say Ferrovax didn't get his brain scrambled, as well?

"No." Ahti spoke up. "I have made excuses for him, from the start. The league was the final straw. There is no excuse, for what he did there. And there is no excuse for what he did, to us. I understand why he did it, but it does not excuse his actions."

"However, you are right. This may not be as bad as it seems. Maybe we can all get through this. Maybe we cannot. It isn't fair, but neither is life. I don't think I can face Maggie, not yet, but you are right. There is no need to wallow in self-pity, without weighing the benefits."

"But," he continued. "You cannot have acceptance, without first going through anger. I am hurt. We all are. I know you are trying to stay positive, but sometimes it is healthier to hurt, than to keep it all bottled inside, festering."

Blackstone watched, on the surveillance monitor. He couldn't hear Laila's telepathic conversation, but Ahti's was quite clear.

"Hm." He said, tapping a finger on his chin.

"Dr. Blackstone?" Porter stepped in. "The Nidoking wanted to speak with CT. Can we-"

"I'm aware." Blackstone interrupted, still watching.

"He also said Maggie didn't willingly give them up." Porter added. "You kidnapped them, didn't you?"

"So did you." Blackstone replied.

"I…that…CT was going to be put down!" Porter stammered. "We saved his life! There was no need, to steal the rest of Maggie's Pokemon! This is wrong, and you know it. We're no better than Team Rocket, or Skull! That makes us criminals, not scientists!"

Blackstone held a hand in front of Porter's face, calmly signaling for him to shut up.

"Science requires sacrifice. The sacrifice Miss Myers has made, albeit unknowingly, will be worth it. We are not only creating the next step in evolution, but changing the very world as we know it. It doesn't end with just these experiments. Soon, regular Pokemon battles will be a thing of the past. We can't worry about one child's feelings, if we want to continue making progress."

Porter sighed. He didn't sign up for this. They were only supposed to test a couple of volunteer Pokemon, not steal some kid's entire team. There was no use arguing with Blackstone, though.

"So, are we going to let them talk?" he broke the silence.

"Yes. It will be an interesting social experiment." Blackstone waved him off. "I believe he's in the Gliscor's room."

Porter made his way down the hall, trying not to look at the Pokemon-now-humans. There were many more, than just Maggie's…some were wild, some belonged to other trainers. He hated being a part of this, knowing now that these Pokemon were not volunteers. One of the Pokemon he passed by, was just a child. A Stufful they had apparently stolen, from a young trainer. The hybrid girl couldn't be more than two or three. He winced, and looked away.

He approached Lasciel's cell, where Dr. Blackstone said CT had been. "Um, CT?" he coughed. "Ahti wants to speak with you."

"Why?" CT grumbled.

"Not sure, but he insists. You know you're ah, not supposed to be in the other rooms…"

"Stuff it." CT growled, as he sat up and grabbed his pants. Lasciel made a soft mumble, and rolled over.

"I don't want to talk to him." CT said, quieter, so as not to wake her.

"I think it would be a good idea." Porter said, as they both walked out. "The two of you obviously have issues, you need to work out."

"We do not need to work anything out. They betrayed me. I got my revenge. There is nothing more to discuss." CT said.

"Please. Ten minutes." Porter insisted. "You'd be surprised what can happen, in ten minutes."

"Very well." CT said. "Ten minutes. No longer."

Ahti sat on his bed, still having his mental conversation with Laila. They were interrupted, as the intercom buzzed.

"Traitor." A deep voice growled. "You were going to have me murdered, and now you think we can simply talk things out?"

"I am sorry you feel you were betrayed." Ahti sighed. "The champion's Bouffalant died, from his injuries. Legally, Maggie had no choice in the matter. She didn't want to do it. None of us wanted it. But the way you fought, there was no other option."

"I wasn't fighting, for her." CT growled.

"She fought for you." Ahti replied. "We all did."

"The only one who ever fought for me, was Lasciel." CT said. "None of you ever did anything, for me. You say you fought, but look where it ended. You just sat there as your 'master' stuck me inside a ball, leaving me to rot, until I was put down. Lasciel was the only one who did a damned thing, to stop it."

Ahti winced. "It is true. I could have done more, to save you. That is a guilt that will lay on my conscious, forever. But why take the others? Why couldn't you have just had your revenge, on me? I am the only one who wronged you. Zero, Aidan, Laila…they did nothing."

"Exactly." CT said. "They did nothing. None of you did. Especially Maggie. She was the one who decided it was okay, to kill me. This isn't just about making you suffer, this is about making _her_ suffer. Time's almost up, Ahti. If you have anything left to say to me, I suggest you do so, now."

Ahti sat quiet, for a few moments. "I'm sorry." He said, quietly.

And that was that. The two didn't speak a word to each other, afterward. Ahti could only imagine CT had ignored him and walked off.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Blaze**

A year had passed, since they had been turned. Some of the hybrids were allowed more freedom than others, helping out around the labs. Lasciel and Laila worked as consultants. They would comfort the new arrivals, and offer guidance. CT himself moved on to become Blackstone's personal assistant, and even adopted his last name.

Ahti wasn't allowed as much freedom, but Porter declared him his own assistant. The two had become close friends, and just as CT adopted Blackstone's name, Ahti adopted Porter's. At the very least, he was allowed to share a room with his mate, Maggie's Absol, Zero, and the two decided to care for the young Stufful child.

Aidan was not allowed freedom. He had a hot temper, and would bolt straight to CT, if given any leniency. He hated CT, for what he did. He hated Dr. Blackstone, for creating such monstrosities. He was full of hate and wanted to get his revenge, on both of them. He had made no friends during his time here, and most had given up trying. Porter remained friendly, but had come to terms with the fact that Aidan simply was not going to socialize.

Dr. Blackstone himself was busy jotting down notes, about new subjects. He had sent CT out to another wing, to begin preparations for a second laboratory. He heard the door open, but never looked up. "Things went well, I take it?" he asked.

"Splendid." CT said, moving closer toward Blackstone. "In fact, I believe it's time to begin the next phase." He grinned. He proceeded to grab Blackstone by the shirt collar, whirl him out of the chair and slam him against the wall.

"Did you really think," he snarled. "That I was going to take orders from you, forever? My plan from the very beginning, was to kill you. I've worked with you for as long as I can stand, and now you're nothing more than an obstacle. I've gathered everything I needed, from you." He took out a flash drive, and held it in front of the scientist. "All of your research data. Funding. Subject files. Even your personal logs." He said, tucking it back into his jacket pocket. "I must thank you for making me better than I could ever dream of being. It's been a real pleasure, Dr. Hugo Blackstone, but I'm afraid this is where we must part ways."

"I should have been the one you kept locked away." he grinned, then in a fast and flawless movement, snapped Blackstone's neck. He straightened his jacket, and stepped over the man's limp body. He grabbed the last few files along with Blackstone's tablet, and calmly headed out.

"Heya." Laila was the first to speak to him. "Boss give ya' any good news? These guys are great an' all, but I'm ready t'get back in th'world, ya know? This stuffy ol' lab is getting' borin'."

CT smirked, deviously. "Not to worry. We'll be leaving, very shortly."

"So it went smoothly, then?" Lasciel purring, latching on to his arm. She was well aware of the plan, although CT left out a few gruesome details. Lasciel was always a worrier, and didn't entirely approve of killing people.

CT grinned. There was an opportunity and he was not going to miss it. "It was a snap."

"Great. Now, what about the others? We can't just leave them here." She pouted.

"It's a shame, but there's nothing we can do for them." He shrugged. He didn't care about them. They could all stay there and rot, for all he cared.

Meanwhile, Porter was on his way to Blackstone's office. He hadn't been answering Porter's page, which was a tad suspicious. At the very least, Blackstone made the effort to tell Porter to shut up and stop bothering him. Today, there was only silence.

Something was off. The door was already opened, and the office littered with paper and disorganized. "Dr. Blackstone?" Porter squeaked, looking around. He peered over the desk, to find the scientist's limp body. "Oh…oh, no…" he breathed, and rushed over to check a pulse.

This was CT's doing. It had to have been. Ahti and Aidan had both warned him, that CT was dangerous. Nobody listened, and now Blackstone was dead and Porter was left alone. He quickly rushed to Blackstone's computer, to send the labs on lockdown. He couldn't let CT escape.

Alarms screeched and doors began to close.

"Blast…" CT said, quiet at first. He sprinted down the hall, toward the exit, only to be met with another closing door. "Blast it all!" he shouted, louder.

"I can't let you leave." A voice said, from behind the trio. "God, you killed Blackstone, didn't you?"

"Let us out." CT growled.

"You're insane!" Porter replied.

"You knew that, from the start." CT spat. "You did your research. You knew what I was capable of. Did you think turning me into a human, would suddenly make everything gumdrops and rainbows? You had every opportunity to stop me, over the last year. Now, it's too late. You are going to step aside, and let us out of here."

Porter took a deep breath, and stood firmly in place. "No." he said, prepared to face whatever CT was going to do to him.

CT's eye twitched, in anger. Blackstone had to die. They wouldn't have ever left, if he didn't. But Porter never did him any wrong. Still, he was in the way. CT threw a Focus Blast at the man, knocking him across the hallway.

Before he could get back on his feet, CT grabbed him by the arm. "You are going to stop this lockdown, and let us out of this godforsaken lab. If you refuse, you will share Blackstone's fate." He growled, dragging Porter back to Blackstone's office.

He slammed Porter down, back in front of the computer. Flames danced across his hand, as he threatened the man.

"We made a mistake, creating you." Porter said. "All of you. It should have never happened."

The alarms stopped, and doors unlocked.

"If you're going to kill me, go ahead. At least I'll die knowing you were stopped." Porter added, and with one final click, released all of the subjects. Every door from every wing of the labs, opened. Angry, confused hybrids poured out of their rooms, scrambling to escape or looking for the one who had done them wrong.

"Bloody hell…" CT said. "You little-" he growled. "Right. We best be off." He said, then turned to Porter one final time. The flames in his hands burned brighter, hotter. Embers flicked across his fingers, igniting the strewn papers. He threw a blast of fire into the room, setting it ablaze with Porter still in it.

As he sprinted back to the hallway, he did the same. A powerful Heat Wave tunneled through the hall, setting fire to everything it touched, including some of the escaping subjects.

Lasciel gasped, as the flames made it difficult to breath. It was hard to see through the blinding flames, and she kept bumping into other confused hybrids. She felt a hand grab her wrist, and tug her along.

CT kept her close, as they made their escape.

Laila stayed behind. She would catch up to them, soon enough. But she couldn't leave the others in here, to fend for themselves. She had grown too close to them. Porter, Aidan, Ahti's family. At the very least, she had to make sure they got out.

She dragged the severely-burned Porter out, and created a Misty Terrain to follow her to keep the fire at bay. The first one she ran into, was Ahti. She grabbed him and pulled him into the terrain. Zero scooped up the Stufful girl, Penelope, they named her, and followed.

"Is that…" Ahti stuttered, looked down at the unconscious Porter.

"Yeah. Boss got a lil outta hand. Couldn't stop 'im, in time." Laila answered. "This ain't gonna last much longer; we gotta get outta here, _now._ "

"We can't leave, without Aidain." Ahti said, starting off. Laila grabbed him by the shirt sleeve, and dragged him back.

"We don't have time, t'look for 'im. Porter opened all the rooms. Aidan definitely got out, and likely went straight after CT. Th'two can take care of themselves." She said. "Now I'm gonna start headin' for the exit, before this safety bubble wears off. I ain't gonna let Stephen get any crispier, and you gotta kid t'look after."

Ahti sighed, looking on at the carnage before him. He reluctantly followed Laila, as they made their way for the exit. The Terrain began fading, and Ahti could feel the heat of the flames licking his body. Time was running out.

The exit was in sight. Ahti looked back one last time, aching that there was nothing he could do to save all the other experiments. "I need to stay." He whispered.

Zero whirled around, starting to protest.

"GO." Ahti shouted, waving them to keep going. "I can help. I need to fix this! I nearly let one friend die, without doing anything. I am not going to let that happen, again." He continued.

Laila grabbed Zero, and dragged her out. Ahti was strong, and she knew it.

Ahti used the water from the sprinklers to create a Water Pulse, sending it hurtling through the hallway. He did it again, and again, until finally the flames were just too much. Much of the fire had subsided, but there was just too much that had spread through other rooms. He couldn't do this alone, but he hoped that he at least cleared enough of a path for any others to pass through.

It hurt that he couldn't do more. He wanted to rush in and gather the injured, to give them a chance at survival. Then he thought of Zero, and the little Stufful girl they had adopted. He had to make sure they were safe, too. He clenched his fists, and forced himself to run toward the exit.

He emerged from the lab, into a desert area. He hadn't seen sunlight in over a year, and winced at it hit his eyes. He collapsed to the ground, looking up at the sky, thinking about everything he could have done and didn't. He sat up and looked around, at others that had made it out. There weren't many.

He at least caught glimpse of Aidan, who was on his hands and knees, coughing violently as the smoke had scorched his lungs.

Laila was knelt beside Porter, who barely even resembled a human, anymore.

Zero sat beside him, little Penelope still in her arms. At least they all still had each other. He closed his eyes, as Zero nuzzled up next to him. The two just needed one moment, to enjoy freedom. They were promptly interrupted, by approaching footsteps. Ahti's eyes shot open, to find CT holding a hand out to him.

"I didn't mean for this to happen." He said.

Ahti refused to take his hand, and sat up, himself.

"You know Blackstone would have never let us go." CT continued.

"I am aware." Ahti said, looking away. He couldn't bear to look CT in the eyes. "But you took things too far. Many have likely died. Look at us…there are so few, who made it out."

"We were only in one wing." CT said. "These labs stretch for miles, across this entire desert. What you see before you…only a tiny fraction of what went on, down there. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of subjects in other sections. Porter released them all."

The two were silent, for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, CT sighed, and turned to walk away.

"Where will you go?" Ahti said, breaking the silence. "What will you do? What will any of us do? We are not human. We do not fit in human society."

"Figure it out." CT said. "As for me, I've got my own plans. Perhaps someday we'll meet again, old friend." Were his parting words, as he left his old teammate to fend for himself, in the desert.


End file.
